Door-operating mechanism for gondola cars.



PATENTED JULY 3, 1906.

, w E. I. DODDS. DOOR QPERATING MECHANISM FOR GONDOLA CARS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.3,1905.

UNITED 'sTA as PATENT OFFICE ETHAN I. DODDS, OF' PULL1\IAN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To THEPULLMAN COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. AooRPoRATIoN or ILLINOIS.

DOOR-OPERATING MECHANISM FOR GONDOLA. CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

Application filed April 3, 19Q5. Serial No, 253,413.

1 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door-perating Mechanisms for Gondola Cars, of which the following is a specification. I I

The object of my invention is to provide an improved door-operating mechanism for cars, par: icularly those of the gondola 'type. As is-well known, these cars are provided with downwarrlly-s-winging hinged doors constituting 'unitedly the bottom of the car, and hitherto various devices have been proposed and employed for effecting the return of the doors to closed position after the discharge of the load wherein thedoors are released and allowed to open under their own gravity and that of the load.-

More particularly my invention aims to PYOYltlO a dooroperating mechanism that is economical to construct, efficient in operation, and readily accessible for repair when it is in any way injured or broken.

To this end my invention consists in a door operati e, mechanism for cars of the type referred to having the peculiarities of construction and novel mode of operation substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown so much of a steel gondola car as is essential to the disclosure and clear understanding of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partly in end elevation and partly incross-section, of a car-body equipped with my improved door-operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a portion of said car; and Fig. 3 is a top plan view, in horizontal section, through the side and end walls of so much of the car as is shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the center sills, which in cars of this type usually accommodate the draw-bar and constitute also the draft-sills.

2 designates the side plates, and 3 the end plates, of the car-body.

4 designates each of a series of doors hinged at their inner edges to the center sills, as shown at 5, and unitedly constituting the discharging-bottom of the car.

6 represents the side stakes, which are preferably made by suitably cutting an I-bearn obliquely or on the bias, so as to preserve theflange at one SlCis, and a portion of theweb tapering in width from top to bottom, so as to bring the widest portion adjacent to the floor, where the greatest strain occurs. Ro tatably .mounted in the webs of the side stakes 6 is an operating-shaft 7, having a squared end 7, to which the operating-arm (not shown) or other actuating means may be applied to turn the same. Fast on the shaft 7, opposite each of the doors 4, is an arm 8, the outer end of which has pivotally connected thereto a link 9, having a curved or bent lower end 9, (more particularly shown at the left in Fig, 1,) the lower end of which link is connected to the free outer margin of the door 4 by a chain 10. a

It will be observed that when the door is closed the arm 8 extends upwardly and the bent portion 9 of the link 9 rests over the opcrating-shaft 7 in such a way as to resist the downward pull of the door and hold the latter securely in elevated position. To discharge the load, it is necessary only to rock the shaft 7 to a point where the upper end of the arm 8 passes to the opposite side of a vertical line extending through the shaft 7, whereupon the weight of the door and its load causes the door to drop to the position shown in dotted lines at the left of Fig. l permitting the ready discharge of the load to one side of the car, in which position the arm 8 and link 9 both hang downwardly from the shaft 7. I

I am aware that it is old to operate pivoted doors of cars of this type by means of chains connected to the outer margin of the door and winding about a longitudinally-extending shaft mounted on or adjacent to the side wall of the car. This is objectionable, however, owing to the locking of the links of the chain, that frequently causes the breakage of the latter. In this device it will be observed thatthe locking effect is produced by the curved end of the link 9 overlying the shaft 7, and the chain is not wound up at all. Obviously the above-described door-operating device can be applied to a car having either a single door or a plurality of doors forming the hinged bottom of the car.

This patent is intended to embrace only so much of the disclosure made herein as is covered by tho claims.

I claim -1. A door-operating mechanism for dropbotfom cars comprising a longitudinally-exof the car,

of the car,

tending shaft mounted opposite theside wall of the car, a member connected to and adapt-l ed to hook over said shaft when the door is raised, and a chain connecting said member with the door, substantially asdes'cribed.

2. A door-operating mechanism for dropbottom cars comprising a-longitudinally-ex-- tending shaft mounted opposite the sidewall a member connected to and adapted to hook over said shaft when the door is raised, and a chain connecting therlower end of said member with the outer margin of the door, substantially as describe 3. A door-operating mechanism ford rop bottom cars comprising alongitu'dinally-ex-Q. tending shaft mounted opposite thc'side Wall of the car, an arm fast on said shaft, a'link pivoted to the free end of said arm, said link having its lower portion formed to hook over and rest upon said shaft when the door is raised, and a chain connecting the lower end of said link with the described.v

4. A door-operating mechanism for drop bottom cars comprising a longitudinally-extending shaft mounted opposite. the side wall an arm fast on saidshaft, a link the free end of said arm, said-link having a curved lower portion ada ted to an arm fast on said shaft,pa' link pivoted to the free end of said arm, curved lower portion adapted to hook over and rest upon said shaft when the door is raised, and admin connectin'g the lower end of said link withthe outer margin of the door, substantially as described. v 6. A door-operatin mechanism for a-dropbottom car havin a' ongitudinal door, comprisin a longitu 'inal whenthe door 1s raised, and'a chain connecting said member with tially as described;

7. A door-operatin bottom car havin a prisin a longitu necte shaft when the door is raised, and a-chain connecting said member with the outer ofsaid door, substantially as described.

inal shaft, a member .0011- door, substantially as bottom car havin origitudinal door, com "PIlSll'l a lon 1tu inal shaft, an armfast on said arm, tion adapted to hook over and rest upon said shaft when the door is raised, and a chain hook over and rest upon said shaft W en the connecting the lower end "of said link with iloor is rdaislpd, grid 1:, chiinhconnecting the said door, substantially as described. ower en 0 sai in wit t eouter mar 'n, of the door, substantially as described. g1 v DODDS' 5. The combination with a metallic; car- Witnesses;

S MUEL POND, W FREDERICK 0;"GO0DW1N.

pivoted to body having hinged doors and side posts provided with projecting flanges, of an operatshaft, a member cone necte to and adapted to hook-oversaid-shaft said door, vsub'stanmechanism 5.21 'dropongitudinal" door, com- 3 to and adapted :to hook overs'aid.

edge

8.-A door-operatingmechanism for a drop said s aft, a ink pivoted to the 'free' end of said link having a curved lower por-- ing-shaft rotatably mounted on said flan es,

said link having a 

